Ethnic designs ruled first round

The first round saw Surana College walking away with the top honours in a tightly-fought battle.

The students showcased an ethnic collection comprising heavily embellished and colourful outfits, complemented by shimmery jewellery and ornate umbrellas as props.

The perfectly synced choreography and confident attitude of the participants added to the appeal.

Second prize went to The Oxford College of Science for innovative garments made entirely from trash material. Highlighting the importance of recycling, the students fashioned cocktail dresses and gowns from garbage bags, paper plates, paper cups, spoons. Keyboard keys and plastic wires also found a place in this collection that spoke volumes of the amount of hard work put in.

Jain College (V V Puram) bagged the third prize. They showcased an ethnic line with the highlight being the draping of saris in unique ways that gave a different appeal to the classic garment. The boys wore traditional Indian attire in shades of black, accompanied by neckpieces, shoulder drapes and swords.

Fourth place went to KLE Society’s S Nijalingappa College. Art formed the basis of this line where colourful paintings, complete with golden frames, were turned into eye-catching garments. 

Jain College (Jayanagar) bagged the fifth place. The black and gold collection they portrayed, replete with ornate detailing, stayed true to the theme they had chosen — that of ancient Egyptian wear. 

Traditional Indian attire seemed to be the flavour of the evening with many colleges opting to showcase ethnic wear. RV Institute of Management, Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Bengaluru, RJS First Grade College, School of Humanities and Social Sciences - Jain University, GIBS Business School, SSMRV College, Dayananda Sagar University, IFIM College and ISBR Business School are some of the colleges who showcased the rich splendour of Indian outfits. Lehengas, sherwanis, dupattas and heavy jewellery were the common hallmarks of these presentations.

School of Commerce and Management, Dayananda Sagar University showcased a predominantly beige and white collection, depicting peace and the need for harmony in the world. The collection was also ethnic, though it had a contemporary twist.

C B Bhandari Jain College for Women showcased a white and red line displaying bandhani work. Skirts, saris and kurtas mixed with turbans and large nose studs gave out a very Rajasthani feel. Baldwin Methodist College showcased ethnic Mughal wear. 

Amongst others, T John College stood out for their stunning creations combining white muslin cloth, handpainted abstract designs and eyecatching headgear with LED lights. The drapes and layers of their creations were opened to add an element of surprise and the perfect choreography drove the crowd wild. 

Maharani’s Science College for Women showcased the classic angel versus demons theme. The black, white and gold garments were complemented with body tattoos, larger-than-life wings, eye masks and so on.

V E T First Grade College gave a retro touch to the event with striped outfits that took one down memory lane. Cold shoulder and off shoulder ensembles, ruffles, hoops and braided hair added to the nostalgia factor. 

Smt VHD Central Institute of Home Science brought out a collection based on Halloween. It was as deliciously grisly as expected — the accessories like blood stains, black nails, creepy dolls and horns stood out more than the outfits. The chosen music perfectly matched the theme. 

Baldwin Women’s Methodist College sought to turn attention to the recent Kerala floods with their all-black line that mostly comprised LBDs and jeans. The host college, NMKRV College for Women, exhibited colourful clothes that were modelled on the plumage of birds. The usage of feathers as accessories and elaborate hairdos added to the charm. IFIM Business School brought out a line that combined olden Greek fashion with a contemporary twist.

A dance team from NMKRV raised the energy levels of the audience with their graceful and vigorous moves in between the event. 

The judges for the event were model-turned-actor BV Bhaskar, designer Runa Ray, model and actor Rahul Rajasekharan Nair and Praveen Jain, also a model and actor. The judges were all praises for the hard work and creativity of the teams who participated in the event. 

The north zone preliminaries will be held on September 1 at CMR College of Law. The grand finale will see the chosen ten teams battling it out for the top slot on September 8 at Dayananda Sagar Institutions, Kumaraswamy Layout.